Utsubora – The Story of a Novelist

To an author, to write is to live. What happens if you can no longer write? What then, is life?

When I first came across this book, I knew nothing about it nor its author, Asumiko Nakamura. The cover art alone intrigued me enough to want to pick it up, and I’m glad I did. The art on the inside was off-putting to me at first because because the characters, especially the male ones, looked like typical Yaoi or Shonen Ai character designs. Which means that they may be shown to sometimes have unusual, broad shoulders, be incredibly handsome in the face, or suffer from Yaoi basketball hands. The male characters may have some visual tropes from those more erotic comics but the women are also drawn very beautifully. With that said, it would be really unfair to judge this book by character design preferences because there are a lot of good things going for this book.

As the title of the book implies, Utsubora is the story of a novelist. The main focus of the story is about an author and what happens to him when he succumbs to the lows of plagiarism. Filled with mystery, drama, and sensuality, Utsubora is a fun read. In the end, Utsubora is also a smart book that will have you guessing what exactly is going on with the cast of characters in the book.

At the end of the book, there are some extras. Including an Illustration Story and Translator Notes. I really appreciated the translator’s notes segment because it included interesting, informative cultural facts of things seen in the story and its the closest you can get for having commentary for a book. I feel this really adds to the cultural understanding of modern Japan.

Utsubora is Asumiko Nakamura’s first book published in English, and I enjoyed the book enough that I would definitely pick up another book by her if it were ever published.

Recently released in North America in a single, thick volume by Vertical Inc, Utsubora is definitely worth checking out.

The Strange Tale of Panorama Island

The Strange Tale of Panorama Island was originally written by Edogawa Rampo, the godfather of Japanese detective stories, and is here adapted into a comic by autuer of jigoku manga, Suehiro Maruo. The story, set in 1920’s Japan, is about a man who steals the fortune and identity from a recently deceased, incredibly wealthy industrialist and the events that unfold afterwards.

With 8 chapters worth of this book, The Strange Tale of Panorama Island is a short read. I spent more time taking in the visuals more than I did reading speech bubbles. With that said, compared to other novels that have gotten the comics treatment, this is definitely one of the better ones that I have ever come across. The story is pulpy but enjoyable, its pretty standard fare for what is expected for pulp fiction. The art by Suehiro Maruo is incredible, the details in his work are breathtaking. The real selling point of this book is definitely  the stunning illustrations.

The Strange Tale of Panorama Island is a dazzling, perverse work of art.